OncoImmunology

Malignant cells acquire characteristics during neoplastic transformation that allow them to be recognized by the immune system. However, under such immune pressure tumors can develop strategies to escape from immune cell recognition due to their high rate of adaptability as described in the immunoediting theory.

In order to be able to improve the efficacy of immune-based cancer therapies, an evaluation of this “cat and mouse game” between tumor cells and immune effector cells is urgently required in order (i) to understand the mechanisms of immune escape, (ii) to identify novel targets for (immuno)therapy as well as (iii) to overcome intrinsic or extrinsic resistances to treatment.

Authors are welcome to submit to this Article Collection reviews as well as original investigations performed at the clinical, translational, or basic research level using human patients’ derived material, in vitro cell systems, animal models, or samples from clinical trials. Possible topics include, but are not restricted to the following:

• Characterization of immune escape mechanisms of tumors at the molecular and immunological level
• Development of intrinsic and extrinsic (immuno)therapy resistances
• Composition of the tumor microenvironment and its clinical relevance
• Monitoring of immune responses, prior, during, and after treatment
• Expansion of immunosuppressive populations
• Impaired function of effector populations
• Role of extracellular matrix components in immune escape
• Tumor-suppressor genes and oncogenes in tumor immunity
• Reversion of immune escape strategies as a novel therapeutic option

Keywords: Immunotherapy; Immune escape; Tumor microenvironment; Suppressing cells; Functional exhaustion

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member). Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 30 April 2024.

Barbara Seliger has long-standing experience in investigating different strategies of solid and hematopoietic tumor cells to evade immune cell recognition and their molecular mechanisms using cell lines, organoids as well as patients’ samples (tumor, peripheral blood). In addition, she is also evaluating the composition of the tumor microenvironment as well as the interaction of tumor cells with immune effector cells and possible ways to counteract the immune escape thereby recovering the recognition by effector T cells.

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